#reduce stigma

While watching magpakailanman,

The story is about the girl who named Julia. She was suspected of being possesed by evil spirit. Her parents were worried and her dad insisted to bring her to a psychiatrist and this is what her mother said:

"Hindi natin sya dadalin sa psychiatrist dahil hindi sya nasisiraan ng ulo!!"

"Pag dinala mo sa psychiatrist ang anak mo, iisipin ng mga kapitbahay na nababaliw ang anak mo. Pag cchismisan sya. Blablablabla" (non verbatim)

I talked about this article briefly in a previous post as a summary, but I wanted to come back to it and look at it more closely — especially from a caregiver perspective, because there’s so much here that explains why autism disclosure feels so complicated in real life.

Figuring out when (or if) to tell someone you’re autistic shouldn’t feel this complicated… but according to Edwards et al. (2024), it often is. After looking at over 3,000 real posts from places like Reddit and Twitter, they found that disclosure isn’t just a personal choice — it’s shaped by how safe, understood, and respected someone feels in that moment.

One of the biggest things that comes through in their research is that a lot of people still don’t really understand autism. That lack of understanding shows up everywhere — work, healthcare, relationships — and it’s what makes disclosure feel so risky even when someone wants to be open.

And it’s not that autistic people are asking for something huge. Edwards et al. (2024) point out that what people really want is pretty simple: privacy, respect, and to be seen in ways that feel real — not reduced to stereotypes or assumptions.

One insight that really stands out from this study is how many autistic individuals feel like if they do disclose, they then have to explain autism to everyone around them. Like suddenly they’re the educator in every conversation. Edwards et al. (2024) make it clear that this turns disclosure into emotional labor — something that takes energy, patience, and a lot of self-advocacy.

And that’s where caregivers come in, honestly. Because this research also helps explain why things can feel so confusing — there’s so much mixed information out there, and when understanding is inconsistent, the pressure gets pushed onto autistic individuals to “fill in the gaps.” Edwards et al. (2024) remind us that when we take the time to learn, listen, and get information from accurate, respectful sources, we’re actually helping take some of that weight off.

Support isn’t just saying “you can tell people if you want.”
It’s building environments where someone doesn’t have to worry about being misunderstood in the first place.

Overall, Edwards et al. (2024) really highlight that disclosure will always feel complicated unless the world around autistic people becomes more informed and accepting. And that’s something all of us — especially caregivers, educators, and providers — have a role in.

Check out the article below!

Before diving into how the physical activity found in gym class can help ease the symptoms of some mental health issues, I’d like to share a video from Youtube that explains the science behind physical activity in the morning and mental health benefits.

Gym class allows students to get up and move at school. With the increasing amount of screen time that kids are exposed to, it may be the only active part of the day for some students.  The exercise performed in gym class is not only beneficial for students’ physical health but their mental health as well. According to Paluska and Schwenk in their article, “Physical Activity and Mental Health”, increased aerobic exercise or strength training has been shown to reduce depressive symptoms significantly. Anxiety symptoms and panic disorders can also improve with regular exercise (2000). The effects seem strongest for self-esteem and those who participate in physical activity are less likely to suffer from mental health issues (Biddle and Asare 2011). In “Evidence Based Physical Activity for School-age Youth”, found in the Journal of Pediatrics, the authors conclude that “School-age youth should participate daily in 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity that is developmentally appropriate, enjoyable, and involves a variety of activities (Strong, Malina and Blimkie et al 2005) ” There is also a growing amount of literature that shows consistent negative mental health associations with sedentary behaviour (Tremblay, Leblanc and Janssen et al 2011). The Ontario Curriculum for Physical Education and Health Grade 1-8 explains that mental health is not simply the absence of mental illness but the presence of factors that promote health growth and development. Educators can help to build awareness of mental health and reduce the stigma of mental illness (2015). Through deep breathing exercises and guided imagery, teachers can demonstrate some of their own techniques for de-stressing. 

The aforementioned research builds a strong case for the value of gym class and daily physical activity for student wellbeing. Gym class is not just playing sports or a wasted part of the day that students aren’t learning. It can have a positive impact on children’s mental health and create a foundation for an enjoyment in physical activity and an awareness of mental health issues that can last a lifetime.

Biddle, Stuart JH, and Mavis Asare. "Physical Activity and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents : A Review of Reviews." British Journal of Sports Medicine (2011): n. pag. Web. 18 June 2017.

Paluska, Scott A., and Thomas L. Schwenk. "Physical Activity and Mental Health." Sports Medicine 29.3 (2000): 167-80. Web. 18 June 2017.

Strong, William B., Robert M. Malina, and Cameron J.R Blimkie et al. "Evidence based activity for school-aged youth." The Journal of Pediatrics 146.6 (2005): 732-37. Web. 18 June 2017.

The Ministry of Education. The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education, Interim Edition . N.p.: n.p., 2015. Http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/health1to8.pdf. The Ministry of Education, Sept. 2015. Web. 18 June 2017.